A defense lobbyist and his family made $1.5 million in political contributions from 2000 through 2008 as the lobbyist’s now-embattled firm helped clients win billions of dollars in federal contracts. A sizable chunk of those campaign dollars went to the House members who control Pentagon spending.

Paul Magliocchetti, founder of the PMA Group, and nine of his relatives — two children, his daughter-in-law, his current wife, his ex-wife and his ex-wife’s parents, sister and brother-in-law — poured contributions into the coffers of candidates, political action committees and national and state party committees, according to a CQ review of public documents.

Will they get away with it? Not PMA – they’re being investigated to a fare-thee-well, and I expect a bunch of stories to unravel at the frist real sign of scrutiny – but the legislators who took the money? Well, that depends. There’s a limit to what the GOP can do right now…

“Members shouldn’t be able to give no-bid contracts to the clients of lobbyists that contribute that kind of money to their campaign coffers,” said Rep. Jeff Flake , an Arizona Republican who this week was rebuffed for a third time in an effort to get the House to launch an ethics probe into the campaign contributions and PMA. “It just doesn’t seem right.”

…but, you know? Such things are easily fixed. Tired yet of the Democrats spending your money on their buddies? And, sorry, but that’s a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer. And if the answer’s ‘no,’ trust me: they’ll be happy to keep spending your money until you change your mind…